The Providence of God

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

When people hurt you, mistreat you, disappoint you, throw you under the bus, the first step to forgiving them is to acknowledge what they have done. You can’t sweep it under the rug. You can’t pretend it didn’t happen. And you can’t just keep saying, “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.” You have to address the hurt head-on.

Now, I realize that addressing your hurt can be a painful process. It can bring up a lot of feelings and emotions that are hard to handle, leaving you feeling helpless and overwhelmed. But you have to remember that even when it seems like everything is out of control, God is in control. Behind everything that happens to you, even the bad, the evil, and the horrible, God intends it ultimately for your good.

God never has to say, “Well that wasn’t in the script.” With God, everything is in the script. In the movie of your life, there are going to be valleys and deserts, bad times and good times, good and evil. But when the movie ends it will all work out for your good. Remember all the bad things that happened to you and all the bad people that do them, with the providence of God, God will use them and what they do ultimately for your good.

He will not let anything in your life go to waste. So even in the pain and the hurt, remember and trust that He has your best interest in mind at all times.

Dear Father, you know the hurt I have experienced and the pain I have faced in my life so far. You know the valleys I’ve walked through and the storms I’ve endured. Please help me to remember that even my toughest circumstances can be used for good in my life. Give me the strength and the wisdom to trust that you love me and that you know what’s best for me so that I can become more like Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.